and there'll be no need to check the mailbox on saturdays. our top story. changes to our weekend mail delivery. wgn's julian crews is live at the main post office downtown with details. >> as you know the postmaster general says that beginning in august your local post man will not be delivering first-class mail to your mailbox on saturdays. this is part of an effort to cut the massive budget deficit faced by the postal

service. >> i do not have any e-mail and a computer to be honest about it. i do rely on the u.s. post office mail. he is not happy about the upcoming changes that take effect august 1st. chicago district post offices will you to know that the other saturday services will continue. if you're giving medicine on saturday you're going to continue to get your medicine on saturday. if you're looking for

a package from saturday you'll continue to see that package on saturday. and they're hoping that they will be able to phase this in. through attrition there might be summed elimination. we are hoping there will not be any massive changes. we hope to talk to the unions later on in the day. we will have the very latest in the evening as. law >> i've with more on why there

was a delay the police are crediting several agencies as working together. he is arrested monday over seven hours. police said witnesses able to provide a description of the suspect. more importantly that witness was able to give them a partial license plate number that police were able to use to track him down. he is suspected of 15 robberies in eight different cities crossing county lines. right now has only been charged in a county. the faces 11 counts of armed robbery dirty years in prison.

>> credible hard work. this is the way the case should occur. cooperation between agencies. provides information to the police department. it is transported to the cook county. they started complaining of feeling ill. he was rushed to the hospital. no word on what that element is that he is

dealing with. as for the car he is driving police say that belonged to a woman. as for a motive police say he is unemployed so financial reasons or least a reason for him committing these mobrobbers.

three people were killed after an s-u-v crashed on the southwest side. it happened around 8-30 last night near 31st and western. police say a man and two women were traveling east on 31st street when their jeep hit a curb at western. the jeep then hit a pole and landed on its roof. firefighters had to cut the victims from the vehicle. all three were pronounced dead a short time later. they've been identified as phillip barnes of romeoville yvonne tobias and leantwana rosebur both from chicago. the cause of the accident is under investigation. two children were removed from a home in elgin after police found them living in squalor with nine dogs.

four adults including cherly thacker and randy mc-donald. now face charges ranging from child neglect to animal cruelty. police were called to the home last week to check out a foul smell. they found dog feces throughout the home. the two children have been placed with relatives. the house has been condemned by the city of elgin. rules are busy disinfecting the area and watching the bedsheets separately. many of the detainees take part in work programs inside and outside of the jail. they will not be allowed to participate in those programs. also concerns of the staff.

the opera actor who was burned on stage could be released from the hospital sooner than expected. wesley daniel was performing a flame spitting stunt during a dress rehearsal at the lyric opera on monday when he wound up burning his face. he was taken to the hospital in serious to critical condition. but now doctors say daniel has improved enough to be released as early as today. they're comparing his second degree burns to a severe sunburn. daniel's fire stunt has been cut from the show, which opens friday. osha is investigating the accident. governor pat quinn is giving his third state of the state address at this hour in springfield. he's focusing on the state budget crisis. pension concerns and raising the minimum wage in illinois to 10-dollars an hour. he also is expected to support the marriage equality bill currently being considered by the senate and a proposed 25- cent sneaker tax to fund job programs for high school dropouts.

let's listen in to the governor's address right now. the largest public works investment. between that and our tollway initiative we have been investing $43 billion to build and strengthen our infrastructure. this is supporting more than half a million jobs across illinois. construction workers who is with us today have been busy working. they are ready to rebuild. they are building a bridge across the mississippi river. they have already completed. we have much more to do. the members of the

general assembly lets an act house bill. keep those construction jobs going. that is our illinois. four years ago many thought high-speed rail was a pipe dream. now we're making it a reality in illinois. paving the way for more economic growth. four years ago we had a leaky pipes and broken water mains. some of the pipes still in use in chicago or laid when ulysses s. grant was president of country. one year ago right here in this chamber i made the commitment to every illinois residents to update your water systems. we are investing $1

billion in clean water. thank you for your hard work. >> [applause] >> governor talking about job creation. speaking of judge who instead to raise the minimum wage to $10 an hour over the next four years. >> much more on the entire speech coming up later. coming up next what police found inside the bunker in alabama where a

kidnapped 5-year-old boy was held for nearly a week. plus the changes the pentagon could soon be making to its benefits policy for same-sex couples

an earthquake in the south pacific triggered a tsunami that killed five people today.

the eight -point -0 magnitude quake struck off the solomon islands. four elderly people and one child died when strong waves triggered by the quake hit an eastern region known as the santa cruz islands. damage is still being assessed but the tsunami appears to have caused some damage and disruption at the local airport and nearby villages. a tsunami warning issued for several other countries was later canceled. the f-b-i has released new photos of the bunker where a five-year-old boy from alabama was held hostage for six days. authorities found two homemade bombs yesterday in the bunker where jimmy lee dykes was keeping the boy hostage and continue to search for more today. one was in the underground bunker, the other was in a p-v- c pipe that the hostage taker used to communicate with police.

dykes was killed in a raid on the bunker monday. the boy, named ethan, was rescued and today he is celebrating his sixth birthday. he was taken hostage last week when dykes attacked a school bus and killed the driver. ethan's school principal is confident he will make a strong recovery from the ordeal. school officials at midland city elementary are planning a party to celebrate ethan's safe return, and also to honor charles poland, the bus driver killed while trying to protect the children on his bus. school officials present and obama will travel to israel for the first time in his presidency. the white house has not announced a date for the trip. the television stations as

they will begin march 20th. he has had little success in advancing. he will try to revive the peace process. they've agreed to meet with western countries about their nuclear program. the u.n. security council says they hope a meeting will lead to a negotiated solution to the dispute. one expert says this shows how politically divided iran really is. a rude welcome during his visit to egypt. four men were arrested and later released on bail. the boy scouts

of america have decided to delay a vote on a proposal that could end the longstanding ban on openly gay troop leaders. a vote was expected today at the national executive board meetings. the organization said they need more time to get input from members. more than 70 percent of scout troops are affiliated with the church or religious groups. the pentagon could be making changes very soon in its benefits policy for same-sex couples. defense secretary leon panetta is expected to announce this week that same-sex spouses of service members will be granted some benefits that have been denied until now. those benefits could include housing on military bases,

military i-d cards, and consideration of a same-sex spouse and family in duty assignments. the bi-racial daughter of former segregationist, senator strom thurmond has died. essie mae washington-williams only revealed her identity nine years ago. she kept it a secret until after her father's death beause she "never wanted to do anything to harm her father." thurmond was a segregationist leader for decades. he died in 2-thousand-3 at age 100. essie mae washington-williams died of natural causes. she was 87 years old. still to come this midday more fallout for compounding pharmacies in massachusetts following last year's deadly meningitis outbreak. but first, coming up next, a new report about gun background checks and why there were less of them

the number of gun background checks fell last month as retailers ran out of guns. the associated press as background checks dropped 10% nationally in january as compared to december. aho and natural gas and oil production that includes for acting as the second-biggest source of greenhouse gases second only to power plants. here's why it is such a big concern. it is associated with methane leaks. methane is more efficient at trapping radiation.

a new report from the usda out yesterday says the u.s. is likely to warm substantially. could cost farmers millions as they tackle week in battle. a lot of us spend a lot of time behind a computer screen while you're at the office. are we hard at work or are we watching cat videos on you to unfortunately for businesses the latter seems to be through. in his study by kansas state university found that between 60-80 percent of people's time spent on the internet at work has nothing to do would work. coming up next concerned chicago parents and teachers launch a petition drive requesting changes to c-p-s testing methods. and, jewel osco announces the closing of several area stores

this spring.

[ female announcer ] switch to swiffer 360 duster extender and you'll dump your old duster. but don't worry, he'll find someone else. ♪ who's that lady? ♪ ♪ who's that lady? ♪ ♪ sexy lady ♪ ♪ who's that lady? ♪ [ female announcer ] swiffer 360 duster extender cleans high and low, with thick all around fibers that attract and lock up to two times more dust than a feather duster. swiffer

gives cleaning a whole new meaning. and now swiffer dusters refills are available with the fresh scent of gain. [ sniffs ] i have a cold. [ sniffs ] i took dayquil but my nose is still runny. [ male announcer ] truth is, dayquil doesn't treat that. really? [ male announcer ] alka-seltzer plus fights your worst cold symptoms, plus it relieves your runny nose. [ breathes deeply ] awesome. [ male announcer ] yes, it is. that's the cold truth! chicago police are investigating a pair of overnight robberies on the north side. a man held up a 7-11 at lincoln and webster in lincoln park at two a-m. he showed the clerk a gun, took some cash, and got away.

an hour later, a man matching the description of the 7-11 suspect robbed a dunkin donuts on chicago avenue in the river north neighborhood. no one was hurt in either incident. a third man was ordered held on bail, in connection with a brutal murder in aurora. prosecutors say jose becerra of oswego helped his friends juan garnica and enrique prado dump the body of 18-year-old abigail villalpondo in the woods near montgomery last friday. police say abigail was killed at the mother of an alleged hazing victim is calling for the principal of maine west high school to be fired. the woman has requested to remain anonymous. in november, she filed a lawsuit on behalf of her son. she claims the boy was sexually assaulted, in 2-thousand-8, when he was as an atlhete at the school. with district officials seeking the dismissal of two coaches at maine west, the woman is calling for principal, audrey haugan to be fired. the woman claims haugan should have called police after learning of the incident, which may have prevented other problems. haugan has not yet commented. petitions calling for a limit on standardized testing are being handed out today at several chicago elementary and high schools.

the petition effort was organized by the "more than a score coalition". a group of parents and teachers of c-p-s students. they want to limit standardized testing in all grades and eliminate it completely from pre-kindergarten to second grade. they also want full disclosure including the cost of all 22 tests now being used in chicago public schools. a c-p-s statement says the tests are critical for measuring student growth, and helping teachers and principals identify student needs. lake michigan water levels are at an all-time low. according to the u-s army corp of engineers: the lake's water levels actually dipped lower than the previous record set in march of 19-64. the water is now six feet below the record high- that was set back in october of 19-86. one expert says it will take years of consistent rain to improve the situation and increase the water level. 300 employees will be affected but they will have a chance to transfer.

still to come this midday. tom skilling has your full forecast! [ male announcer ] it's simple physics... a body at rest tends to stay at rest... while a body in motion tends to stay in motion. staying active can actually ease arthritis symptoms. but if you have arthritis, staying active can be difficult. prescription celebrex can help relieve arthritis pain so your body can stay in motion. because just one 200mg celebrex a day can provide 24 hour relief for many with arthritis pain and inflammation. plus, in clinical studies celebrex is proven to improve daily physical function so moving is easier. celebrex can be taken with or without food. and it's not a narcotic. you and your doctor should balance the benefits with the risks. all prescription nsaids like celebrex, ibuprofen, naproxen and meloxicam have the same cardiovascular warning. they all may increase the chance of heart attack or stroke, which can lead to death. this chance increases if you have heart disease or risk factors such as high blood

pressure or when nsaids are taken for long periods. nsaids, including celebrex increase the chance of serious skin or allergic reactions or stomach and intestine problems such as bleeding and ulcers which can occur without warning and may cause death. patients also taking aspirin and the elderly are at increased risk for stomach bleeding and ulcers. do not take celebrex if you've had an asthma attack, hives or other allergies to aspirin nsaids or sulfonamides. get help right away if you have swelling of the face or throat or trouble breathing. tell your doctor your medical history. and find an arthritis treatment for you. visit celebrex.com and ask your doctor about celebrex. for a body in motion. a lot of you may have heard about probiotics but may not realize what they can do for your health. we know what it takes to look good on the outside but with 70% of our immune system located in our gut the core of our health is truly on the inside. that's why i take new trubiotics. it's a daily probiotic that helps in two ways. one helps support digestive

health the other immune health. stay true to your health. new trubiotics. from the makers of one-a-day. it is not one we are really embracing. darman made components to this. their natural ones. the drought have going on. we'll talk about that. lake levels have never been lower in 95 years of record- keeping. speaking of lake michigan. there is the beautiful lake is a look today with sunny skies on top. we have a storm on the way. this is a very fluid situation. snowe of significance is going to get into more of the

area than we thought earlier. we'll have icy weather and the chicago area. we're watching the reins carefully. this follows 14 years. that level is the longest string of below normal readings on lake levels ever recorded. the reasons for this occurring are multiple. giving you an idea of how much we dropped. down 6 ft. from the 1986 record high. it is 29 in. below the 95 year average. down 17 in. from the past year. the reason it is occurring is related to draw up.

winterly cocktail is on the way. freezing rain on the way for chicago. perhaps a healthy snow and our northern suburbs. this will blossom into a mammoth storm. only 41 percent normal in

chicago. look at the thermal contrast. unseasonably mild air to the south. 55 at oklahoma city. rear of mid '30's and the wind chills are not all that bad. here is the view from our weather but camera. a this is our skyline under the sunshine today. tears were the precipitation is. we will see an increase in cloud cover and the sun fading a little bit. the

least a cloudy tonight. this freezing rain and ice. watched range . moisture from the gulf has not been in the last four systems. the snow than settle self. if the latest model runs. this whole thing just explodes. look at what happens to boston and parts of connecticut as this storm develops. a wider view. this is fascinating. putting three weather systems together into one afte. powerful blizzard

strength winds going into boston. you'll see how the band will extend eastward. this is the latest take. three or 4 in. may come into parts of chicago as a gun no. half a foot of snow may come down with nearly 5 in.. that is a fluid situation. one to be watched for tomorrow and into tomorrow night. another big storm. a valentine's day system may be lifting up later on next week. coming close to us. at this distance that is the

kind of thing you want. temperatures break above freezing much of the metro area. high-temperature 34. the wind will be self. tonight clouds lower. that winter remakes develops. tamara winter a cocktail of freezing rain. heavy accumulations may occur. hi 33. on friday cloud's give way to some mixed son. >> the morning our it will just

be starting up. there could be some issues there. the evening looks like a real party around the whole area. from the city north things could get a little dicey tomorrow. time for today's trivia on this day in 1911 president ronald reagan was born. what was the first movie he appeared in? a: sergeant murphy b: swing your lady c: love is on the air answer still to come this midday!

>>winning pick3 8,7,9 moving on to pick4

winning pick4 7,12,9 >>join us tonight for powerball. 208 million dollars. time for sports. the n-h-l has reportedly

rescinded a questionable penalty against the sharks, but not before the blackhawks took full advantage of it. the road trip continued in san jose last night. the hawks and sharks combined for four goals in 89 seconds in first period, including brandon saad's first career goal. it's tied at three in the second when jamal mayers gets leveled. duncan keith retaliates, but only andrew desjardins gets ejected. on the ensuing four- on- four. jonathan toews steals the puck and gets it to patrick kane for what would be the game winner. he also added an empty- netter for his sixth goal of the year. hawks win 5-3. they have yet to lose a game in regulation this season. they get the crowd going. i like the way the guys battled back. >> make a decision to go for a piece of a guy's body. happen to

be my head. i think he could've made a clean hit if he chose to. ."forbes" has released the list of the most disliked athletes in america, and at the top are manti te'o and lance armstrong. each one only appealed to 15- percent of responders. tigers woods is third, and in fourth is jay cutler. responders said he was too "stand off-ish" and they think he's soft. he beat out other quarterbacks in the top ten, tony romo and michael vick. why let constipation slow you down? try miralax. mirlax works differently than other laxatives. it draws water into your colon to unblock your system naturally. don't wait to feel great. miralax.

[ washer and dryer sounds ] for the things you can't wash, freshen them with febreze. febreze eliminates odors and leaves a light fresh scent. febreze, breathe happy. [ male announcer ] research suggests cell health plays a key role throughout our lives. one a day men's 50+ is a complete multivitamin designed for men's health concerns as we age. it has 7 antioxidants to support cell health. one a day men's 50+.

in medical watch. last year's deadly meningitis outbreak leads to shutdowns at nearly a dozen compounding pharmacies. the meningitis outbreak that led to 45 deaths was linked to a tainted steroid made by the new england compounding center in framingham, massachusetts. in the aftermath unannounced inspections were carried out at 40 pharmacies across the state. now, massachusetts health regulators have ordered eleven compounding pharmacies to partially or completely halt operations. 21 others were cited for minor violations. obesity can lower vitamin d levels in the body. researchers analyzed data from 21 studies involving a total of 42 thousand people. they report that every ten percent rise in body mass index led to a four percent drop in available vitamin d in the body. vitamin d is stored in fatty

tissue and the authors suggest the larger storage capacity in obese people may prevent it from circulating in the bloodstream. they say the study results highlight the importance of monitoring and treating vitamin d deficiency in people who are overweight or obese. we may get a snowstorm on valentine's day. we're going to show you how to prepare the most romantic [ male announcer ]

research suggests cell health plays a key role throughout our lives. one a day men's 50+ is a complete multivitamin designed for men's health concerns as we age. it has 7 antioxidants to support cell health. one a day men's 50+.

>>brazed chicked with mushrooms.

>>thank you so much for coming in. we are teaching you a way to create a romantic meal for valentines day. >> this is a great way to stay at home and have an intimate experience. making a fairly low maintenance. it isn't easy recipe. it tastes good. we took some chicken year. the mere adding these wonderful aroma. it smells delicious. these are dried mushrooms. they're so wonderful to use. there in your

pantry. you can always find them. you get these beautiful mushrooms. will you do, you cover the dried mushrooms. you let it sikh and they plumb bob and they're delicious. you're just going to give a quick start. shh this is beautiful and delicious. if makes it around. it smells delicious. we're going to add this to the ban as well. it makes a creamy and wonderful and delicious. this is such a great recipe because it is light and easy.

not during dishes on valentine's day. and is also great for serving. we will put this together. i cannot wait to show you what we're doing. militate our mail over to our table which you created in no time in one of our commercial breaks. it looks so wonderfully romantic. you can set up an intimate dinner. some place for you do not normally dine. you can put it outside if the weather is great. i drank

the table with a white tablecloth. >> beautiful and had a great texture. made a cake that is perfect for really just the two of you. it is one recipe that the split in half. i make one for my husband and one for the kids. they get their own little special meal. it is such a great idea.

>>eat-drink-garden.com >> we also have a link on our website. wgntv.comeant dh

time now for the answer to today's trivia question. we asked what was the first movie in which ronald reagan appeared ? a: sergeant murphy b: swing your lady c: love is on the air the answer: c: "love is on the air" in 1937, in which he played a radio reporter. he made 58 more films before turning his attention to politics. he would recreate the game. pretty amazing. >> to distinct claude matches will merge into one hand turn

into a big storm that will bring us icy weather and may be a pretty good snow. the forecasters at the national weather service in wisconsin have just upgraded their winter storm watch. we have winter storm watches out for mcanally counties and across the lake into michigan. the watches are coming up in new england in anticipation of his big storm exploding off the east coast into a blizzard. there you can see the precipitation spreading already into wisconsin. >> the purple area is where the wind is going to blow. this

thing bombs up. areas like boston, new england and so forth are in for real snow. the next warm by sunday as developing out in the plains. that will bring rain and maybe some thunderstorms into the area. as far as know is concerned the band will run all the way from northern illinois and wisconsin eastward. the bright white areas could measure snow and feet in some areas out east. here is the snow that we expect to fall across our metro area. it is being updated by the moment. we'll have more of 5:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. tonight. a wintry mass tomorrow. some sunshine friday. rain and thunderstorms sunday change to snow showers monday.